Loma Linda resident outlines community garden growth, asks city to locate promised $5,000 in supplies

Amy Jones, who identified herself as the community garden leader, told the Loma Linda City Council that the garden opened in 2018 and has since shifted from individual plots to a shared community space focused on food production, education and community building. "We started replanting in 2021," she said, and described banana trees, a food forest and flower areas that now occupy what she said is about 0.8 acres.

Jones said the garden runs classes and donations programs and reported substantial volunteer engagement: "Last year, we had over 200 volunteers come through the garden." She said the garden works with local partners including Master Food Gardeners, Dave Wilson Nursery and Lowe's, and that donations by retailers have covered thousands of dollars in supplies.

A central concern Jones raised was procurement and use of a standing city allocation she said exists for the garden. "A few years ago, we received $5,000 per year in funding," she told council, and later added, "I was told that we cannot get the supplies that we had ordered." Jones said she submits an itemized list before the fiscal year but that the items were not procured, which left the garden short. She asked staff to locate prior supply requests and to coordinate so the garden receives previously ordered items.

City staff acknowledged budget and accounting limits and described the budget cycle and recordkeeping obligations. Sonia Fabella in finance said, "Our budget year runs from July 1 through June 30," and explained requests are reviewed and adopted before June; she and city management said they would work with John Trujillo in public works to find the submitted lists and determine whether funds remain or were returned to fund balance. The city manager said staff would follow up with Jones and John Trujillo to resolve outstanding procurement and delivery questions.

Jones also described security and operational challenges: repeated thefts of donated construction materials and plants, and distribution of weed-seeded soil that increased labor needs. She said she pursued restitution through the courts and reported a small recovery ordered by the DA: "We got restitution...it was maybe $1,200," she said, but told council finance would not release that money back to the garden without clearer accounting. Jones asked for clearer donation intake processes and inventory tracking so donated items intended for the garden can be recorded and protected.

On programming, Jones asked for council help promoting the garden to broaden participation and suggested periodic "community days" with councilmember participation to raise awareness. She proposed operational changes to reduce volunteer-burnout, including shifting from weekly volunteer sessions to larger monthly workdays and asked for staff help fixing persistent leaks and other maintenance issues more quickly.

Council members responded with questions about tracking and metrics. One council member asked whether the garden keeps attendance and participation numbers; Jones said the garden tracks everyone who signs the waiver and that she can provide that data. Multiple council members praised the garden's growth and encouraged staff and council to work with Jones to identify funding or grant opportunities.

Next steps: staff agreed to coordinate (finance, public works and the city manager) to locate the submitted supply lists, clarify whether prior-year funds remain or reverted to fund balance, and to discuss improved donation intake and inventory procedures with the garden lead. Jones concluded the presentation by asking only that the city honor supplies that had been promised and work with the garden on outreach and maintenance.